Her Minstrel- One Shot
by ShandyCandy278
Summary: For he was but a lowly Minstrel, and she, the Princess.


One would think that he would be better at this sort of thing. It was his profession, after all.

But even as he moved to strum his guitar, all words failed him. Notes, meanings, and rhythms simply vanished- leaving but one thing for him to go off of.

Her.

 _Marinette Dupain-Cheng._

He hadn't thought much of it at first- had ignored the urgency that took hold of him when Captain Hardlock had attacked. He had pushed aside the beat playing in his heart at the mention of her from his bandmates, but it was only after Frozer that he realized what had happened.

He wasn't one for words, but he needed to get his feelings out.

He had tried for several weeks now- thoughts of her sweet melody that simply echoed her being serenely matching itself into chords and keys so that he could compose a masterpiece for her.

And yet…

Luka sighed and hung his head in defeat, his hand falling limply in front of his guitar.

He was no match for him.

It was as though he was a lowly Minstrel, she the Princess, and he the Prince.

Of course, he also couldn't ignore how Chat Noir seemed to genuinely care for her as well. He was her knight, one could put it.

And they all followed her blindly.

Okay, maybe not blindly, but with how Adrien Agreste had been acting whenever the subject of the Princess came up, it would be the case soon.

And there was also that one boy- Nathaniel if he had heard Juleka right. Who would he be? Perhaps a royal storyteller or artist if what he had heard was indeed correct.

Luka hung his head backwards, allowing it to hit the wall behind him lightly. He closed his eyes, but when he did all he could see were her sparkling bluebell eyes. He let out a pitiful groan, opening up his eyes so that he could stare up at the ceiling of his bedroom.

 _This girl, he knew, was going to be the end of him._

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"Look out!" Luka jumped and turned to look at where the noise had come from, only to see a large, vibrating pillow flying at him. Red flashed before his eyes, and suddenly he was several feet away. Ladybug had her arms wrapped around him even as the Akuma began to swing another pillow around.

"Look- another Epic save by Ladybug!" Alya cheered, her phone being held out in front of her by her hands. "What do you have to say about this Akuma, Ladybug? Do you think Hawkmoth realizes how hypocritical he's being by creating an Akuma that wants to sleep when he's the one keeping everyone up at night?" Ladybug sent a mild glare at the girl.

 _"Why haven't either of you left yet?!"_

"I need to cover the attack for my blog!"

"I didn't even realize that there was an Akuma." He answered. Ladybug huffed lightly, hoisting Luka up and tossing him into the air.

"Chl- uh, Queen Bee! Catch!"

"Ew, do I have to?" She asked, looking away from her nails and pouting at Ladybug.

"Yes!"

"Don't worry, Milady, I got him!" Chat Noir caught Luka just before he hit he ground. The superhero pulled out his staff without breaking a sweat, launching them into the air. "You just worry about Alya. Queenie, keep the Akuma busy!"

"No, you mangy alley cat!"

"Queen Bee!"

"Fine! Come here you lousy little-" The rest of the superheroine's words were lost on Luka as the wind rushed in his ears, buildings passing by them in a flash.

"Here you go!" Chat Noir let Luka down. He also seemed oddly satisfied with himself, a smirk gracing his lips as he looked around. "Marinette should be around here- I saved her earlier and dropped her off here. Pr- Mari! Marinette!"

 _Silence._

Luka watched as Chat Noir's ears flattened against his head, his demeanor going from 'My Plan has Worked' to 'crap where is she' in less than a second.

"Marinette?!" He rushed over to the only place where she could have been hiding, but it was clear that she wasn't there when he continued to call. "Mari?!"

"Chat Noir-"

"But I placed her down right here-"

"Chat-"

"She should be here, safe-"

"Noir-"

"What if the Akuma got to her?!"

"CHAT NOIR!" The superhero shrunk in on himself, raising his shoulders up by his ears. "I'm sure that she's fine. Marinette can take care of herself. Go help Ladybug."

"Right." He nodded, but Luka could still tell that the boy was distracted by Marinette and her apparent disappearance. "I should go help Ladybug."

"Wait-" Luka placed a hand on Chat Noir's shoulder, taking a deep breath. "I know you have feelings for her and all-"

"What."

"But Ladybug needs you. If you really want to protect Marinette, you'll help Ladybug so that she can use her cure. No distractions." Cerulian stared into green eyes for several seconds, and Luka smiled when he saw the reasoning and logic click with Chat Noir.

"Thanks." And then he was off, no longer as distracted as he had been before. Luka smiled after him, thinking of his fond metaphor as he patiently waited for the fight to be over.

 _The knight will always protect the Princess._

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That night, Chat Noir knocked on his window.

"Chat Noir?" Luka asked, walking over to the window. The superhero waved awkwardly, and as he opened the window he moved aside to let him in. "Is there another Akuma?"

"What?" Chat Noir blinked and shook his head. "No- I actually just have a question for you. About what you said today."

"What about it?"

"What feelings for Marinette are you talking about?"

Oh.

That.

"Well, you clearly hold her dearly. More than anyone normally would if they were just a hero and she just a civilian." Luka shrugged, sitting down and bringing his guitar back into his lap. He had been trying to write a song for her before Chat Noir had come. Speaking of the hero- he was looking really awkward right now. He'd think on it later. "I just feel like you're the knight and she's the princess."

Chat Noir seemed almost amused at this reasoning. "And where would you be in this Metaphor?"

"A Minstrel."

"Not a Prince?"

"No, she already has her Prince." Chat Noir's eyes bulged, his mouth falling open as he gawked at Luka.

"She likes someone?" His voice was slightly higher than normal. So he hadn't known? That was peculiar. As far as Luka was concerned, everyone knew about Marinette's crush. Unless he thought that she was just a really over-the-top fan of the Agreste's work? Was that what happened.

"Yeah." Luka lightly strummed his Guitar that rested in his lap, focusing on the tone that the other's heart held- trying to figure out where Chat Noir was coming from to think that Marinette was just an over-enthusiastic fan. He was surprised when it suddenly struck tones of deeply embedded and on-going melancholy. Like his heart had been torn so many times that he almost expected it out of everyone. No, just one person. There were underlying notes of Hope, searching like a lighthouse in the missle of a hurricane. Searching for something- for someone. Then there was that soft thrum of mystery, that could refer to both sides of him. The one below the mask, and the one in the mask.

It was ironically fitting, comparing to the Animal he was themed as.

"He doesn't know that she likes him." Luka admitted, even as he continued to explore the other's song on his guitar.

"Really?" Chat Noir asked.

"Yeah, but I can tell that he likes her back at least." He laughed a little. "For being a model, Adrien can be transparent at times."

Chat Noir almost seemed to gag, and Luka didn't blame him. No one could compare to the prince- both figuratively and literally.

"Sh-She likes Adrien Agreste?" Luka nodded. "I thought she liked you."

"No, we're just friends." Luka strummed a few more chords. "Unfortunately. Or fortunately. I guess it depends on how you look at it.

"I… see." Chat Noir moved back to the window. "Well, I'll be leaving now."

"Good night, Chat Noir." Luka strummed it a bit more. "I hope you find happiness and a way to move on from the past. You deserve better than the story your heart tells."

Chat Noir gave Luka a slightly confused nod before shooting out the window. Luka closed the window behind him with a small sigh.

Maybe now he could write a song for Marinette.

But that song, Chat Noir's song… it had been so sad. So lonely.

It was worrying.

He didn't sleep well that night.

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A week or so later, it was official.

The Prince and the Princess were together.

After school, Juleka and Rose had come home talking about it. Both girls were clearly excited for them, but Luka couldn't help but recognize the melancholy of his own heart- his own song that had used to be so calming and bright, broken...

It was like Marinette's, when she had asked him out to the ice rink, but it was also similar to Chat Noir's. He didn't know why he felt like that, but he didn't want to dwell on it. The pain that was also coming from his organ was harsh and brutal- shards of it stabbing his lungs so that he couldn't breathe and piercing his stomach so that he wouldn't eat. The fragments stuck themselves inside his throat as well, making him reluctant to talk in fear of others hearing the effect this had on him.

He couldn't help but notice how beautifully their melodies combined- both allowed the other to shine in their own way that made their piece blinding. It helped him realize why he couldn't write the music of her heart. He only had half the song. Adrien made her whole.

With that revelation, he knew that he truly had no chance.

And he would rather her be happy than have no Prince for her to complete the song of her heart for his own selfish desires.

 _For he was but a lowly Minstrel, and she,_ _the Princess._


End file.
